We have at least 24 species of endemic Pritchardia, or loulu, all of which are endangered and could become extinct without our help. Then there are thousands of palm species worldwide that are endangered because of habitat loss. Many have been introduced to Hawaii by our botanical gardens, nurseries such as Jeff Marcus’ Floribunda Palms and the International Palm Society. In fact, we probably have more palm species here than any other place in the United States.

SAN FRANCISCO — Red lanterns sway in the wind. Streetlamps from the 1930s cast a yellow-green glare onto century-old buildings. Neon glows from a pair of dive bars. Figures are silhouetted waiting outside a restaurant, and a lone woman makes dragon beard candy in a tiny storefront window. All are nighttime scenes along Grant Avenue in San Francisco’s Chinatown.

PARK CITY, Utah — The Mormon front man of the rock band Imagine Dragons hopes the Sundance Film Festival documentary that follows his journey to becoming an advocate for LGBT Mormon youth triggers real change by his church’s leaders and puts an end to what he calls “shaming” of gay and lesbian kids in the faith.

We are blessed with natural beauty wherever we look around our island, but it is easy to take for granted. We often forget the efforts of folks today and years gone by. A visit to Lili‘uokalani Gardens last week for the second annual Banyan Drive Art Stroll reminded us of all the work that KT Cannon-Eger and many volunteers put forth to keep this valuable community resource alive.

KOLKATA, India — The British left footprints across their far-flung colonial empire from Toronto to Yangon. But nowhere is there as vast and varied a collection of heritage architecture than in Kolkata.